Multiple killed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir clashes ahead of JAAC rally

Multiple people were killed and dozens wounded in clashes between police and supporters of a banned group in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials said Monday.

The violence escalated ahead of a planned protest rally by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which the regional government designated a terrorist organization under anti-terrorism laws two days earlier.

Who is the JAAC and why are they clashing with police in Pakistan-administered Kashmir?

The JAAC is an anti-government movement demanding economic and governance reforms in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The regional government banned the group and made mass arrests ahead of a planned June 9 rally. The JAAC has rejected its terrorist designation, calling it an act of oppression, and insists its campaign focuses on legitimate political and economic demands.

What are the casualty figures from the clashes?

Sardar Waheed, the top civilian official in Rawalakot, told AFP that three civilians were killed and 40 wounded.

Police separately confirmed four officers were also killed and 23 wounded. Authorities said more than 70 JAAC members were arrested over the weekend.

A local journalist told Nukta that seven civilian deaths were confirmed before a late-night security operation.

He said that a crowd had gathered near a local hospital in connection with funeral arrangements for a protester killed earlier in the unrest, though casualty figures from later events could not be independently verified because information remained restricted.

What steps have authorities taken to contain the protests?

Police sealed the JAAC's central office on Sunday and imposed a ban on large public gatherings in Muzaffarabad, the largest city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Internet services were also disrupted over the weekend. Digital monitoring group NetBlocks reported a major disruption to connectivity across the region, while residents said mobile internet was unavailable.

Markets were open in Muzaffarabad on Monday, with law enforcement agencies patrolling the city. Residents had rushed to stock up on supplies over the weekend amid fears of further protests and lockdowns, according to an AFP journalist on the ground.

What are the JAAC's core demands?

The group is calling for lower energy prices, free health care, and the abolition of 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiris who left for what is now India-administered Kashmir.

The JAAC argues the arrangement allows major Pakistani political parties to influence the local parliament through voters who largely reside outside the region.

Pakistan's Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, said Sunday that 35 of the group's 38 demands had already been met. "It's negative and false propaganda that the government hasn't addressed the demands," he told a press conference.

How have politicians responded to the crackdown?

The clampdown has drawn criticism from some political figures.

Former Pakistani senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed described the use of anti-terror laws against political dissenters as "misguided" and warned against repeating past mistakes in handling dissent.

The JAAC has vowed to press ahead with its mass rally on June 9 despite the ban.

*With input from AFP